“Every library is a journey; every book is a passport without an expiry date” to quote the latest book by the Spanish writer and philologist, Irene Vallejo, El infinito en un junco (2019).In it she accompanies the reader on a journey through the life of books, libraries and those who have safeguarded them for almost thirty centuries. Never has the life of libraries been more relevant - across the world during the Covid pandemic they have provided vital information and been a focus for community activity and solidarity. In the first part of a series sponsored by the Eccles Centre at the British Library, Irene Vallejo will be joined by Columbian librarians and campaigners Martín Murillo, Silvia Castrillon and Luis Bernado Yepes to reflect on the enduring value and importance of libraries before, during and after a global pandemic. Yolanda Reyes will moderate this lively conversation. The event will be presented by Catherine Eccles.

With the support of the Eccles Centre for American Studies at the British Library